Doolin Cave

Doolin Cave is a limestone cave system cut by an underground river through the Burren karst landscape, located above Doolin village on the edge of County Clare. The cave contains Europe's largest free-hanging stalactite — 7.3 metres long, formed over 350,000 years as mineral-rich water slowly deposited calcite from the cave ceiling. The stalactite was discovered in 1952 and the cave opened to visitors in 2006 after extensive conservation work.

The guided tour (60 minutes) descends into the cave via a staircase and follows a lit pathway through the main chamber. The scale of the stalactite is not immediately apparent from photographs — standing directly beneath it gives a clearer sense of its size and the time it represents. The cave also contains stalagmites, flowstones and cave pearls, and the underground river that formed the system is audible though not visible from the main tour route.

The cave visitor centre has a café, walking trails through the Burren landscape above ground, and good interpretation of how the cave system works. Doolin village (1 km) has accommodation, pubs and the ferry pier for Aran Islands crossings. The combination of Cliffs of Moher (5 km south), Doolin Cave and the Burren makes this the most concentrated cluster of natural visitor experiences in Clare.